--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why must the woman apologize for not…" description: "\"Why must the woman apologize for not having a baby just because she happened to get pregnant? It's as if we think motherhood is the default setting for..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/katha-pollitt-16599_apologizing_why-must-the-woman-apologize-for-not-hav_545852.jpg" --- # Why must the woman apologize for not having a baby just… ![“Why must the woman apologize for not having a baby just because she happened to get pregnant? It's as if we think motherhood is the default setting for a woman's life from first period to menopause, and she needs a note from God not to say yes to every zygote that knocks on her door.” quote by Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/katha-pollitt-16599_apologizing_why-must-the-woman-apologize-for-not-hav_545852.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/katha-pollitt-16599_apologizing_why-must-the-woman-apologize-for-not-hav_545852.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/katha-pollitt-16599_apologizing_why-must-the-woman-apologize-for-not-hav_545852.jpg) > “Why must the woman apologize for not having a baby just because she happened to get pregnant? It's as if we think motherhood is the default setting for a woman's life from first period to menopause, and she needs a note from God not to say yes to every zygote that knocks on her door.” [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal expectations pressure women to view motherhood as inevitable, ignoring personal choice and autonomy. **In simple terms:** Motherhood shouldn't be assumed for all women. Key Takeaway Respect each woman's reproductive choices. Themes gender autonomy societal pressure reproductive rights Mood critical empathetic Type essay activist When to use this quote - career planning - family counseling - public policy debates Key Concepts feminist theory choice ethics social norms Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions about motherhood affect you? - How can society support diverse life paths? A Different Perspective Cultural narratives may resist change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apologizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologizing/) [Baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby/) [Default](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/default/) [Doors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doors/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Having a baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-a-baby/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Menopause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/menopause/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Motherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motherhood/) [Motherhood Default](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motherhood-default-4553929/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Notes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notes/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Pregnant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pregnant/) [Pregnant Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pregnant-think-1226509/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Settings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settings/) [Think Motherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-motherhood-1552110/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Zygote Knocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zygote-knocks-4553930/) ## Related quotes > [When you're pregnant, you can think of nothing but having your own body to yourself again; yet after giving birth you realize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-you-re-pregnant-you-can-think-of-nothing-but-having-your-own/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Sienna McQuillen 21 August . I think I'll have another child. And after I'm pregnant, I think I'll eat the father.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sienna-mcquillen/sienna-mcquillen-21-august-i-think-i-ll-have-another-child-and-after/) [Sienna McQuillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sienna-mcquillen/) > [“When you're pregnant, you can think of nothing but having your own body to yourself again; yet after giving birth you realize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-you-re-pregnant-you-can-think-of-nothing-but-having-your-own-2/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“What’s the matter?” my mother snapped. “You sick?” I pulled my body back inside and bumped my head against the window hard enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-c-yee/what-s-the-matter-my-mother-snapped-you-sick-i-pulled-my-body-back/) [F.C. Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-c-yee/) > [I am so looking forward to it. I made sure I had a strong foundation before I became pregnant and I think that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-am-so-looking-forward-to-it-i-made-sure-i-had-a-strong-foundation/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“When you are pregnant, you can think of nothing but having your own body to yourself again; yet after giving birth you realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-you-are-pregnant-you-can-think-of-nothing-but-having-your-own/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [People seem to trust you more when you're pregnant. I think they see you as some kind of Mother Earth figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-cox/people-seem-to-trust-you-more-when-you-re-pregnant-i-think-they-see/) [Sara Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-cox/) > [I think motherhood has made issues all feel much more urgent than they did before. So it didn't necessarily change how I feel about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/i-think-motherhood-has-made-issues-all-feel-much-more-urgent-than/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [People think motherhood involves a lot of domestic labor, and it doesn't. It involves being nice to your children as often as possible. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/people-think-motherhood-involves-a-lot-of-domestic-labor-and-it-doesn/) [Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/) > [I think motherhood is just about instinct. I remember coming home from the hospital and having no idea what we were doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kourtney-kardashian/i-think-motherhood-is-just-about-instinct-i-remember-coming-home-from/) [Kourtney Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kourtney-kardashian/) > [I think with motherhood and child-rearing in general, everyone's going to tell you how to do it and why. I've always said to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-burke/i-think-with-motherhood-and-child-rearing-in-general-everyone-s-going/) [Brooke Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-burke/) > [I think motherhood is a wonderful feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-kumar/i-think-motherhood-is-a-wonderful-feeling/) [Tulsi Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-kumar/) > [“I think motherhood is the noblest task of all, because you cannot do it at your convenience, or tailor it to suit your preferences.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-christoph-arnold/i-think-motherhood-is-the-noblest-task-of-all-because-you-cannot-do/) [Johann Christoph Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-christoph-arnold/) > [I don't think 'Motherhood' is a map for women. I would never say that it's a template for every woman in response to her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-don-t-think-motherhood-is-a-map-for-women-i-would-never-say-that-it/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [And I think that motherhood has made me a better actress as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahima-chaudhry/and-i-think-that-motherhood-has-made-me-a-better-actress-as-well/) [Mahima Chaudhry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahima-chaudhry/) ## More by Katha Pollitt > [“I should say that it was only for me that Marxism seemed over. Surely, I would tell G. at least once a week, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/i-should-say-that-it-was-only-for-me-that-marxism-seemed-over-surely/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [One of the very important ideas of feminism for me has always been women helping and supporting each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/one-of-the-very-important-ideas-of-feminism-for-me-has-always-been/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [funny how ready people are to believe that counseling, which even when voluntary takes years to modify garden-variety neuroses, can work wonders in months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-that-counseling-which-even-when/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [Misogyny runs deeper than religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/misogyny-runs-deeper-than-religion/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [“Maybe I’m not cut out for monogamy,” G. had said to me early on. “Maybe I should just live in a room by myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/maybe-i-m-not-cut-out-for-monogamy-g-had-said-to-me-early-on-maybe-i/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [For many people, feminism is one of those words of which, as St. Augustine said about time, they know the meaning as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/for-many-people-feminism-is-one-of-those-words-of-which-as-st/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [When it comes to ideas - and religions are, among other things, ideas - there is no right not to be offended. ... In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/when-it-comes-to-ideas-and-religions-are-among-other-things-ideas/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [In a better world, science teachers would teach creationism along with evolution as an exercise in critical thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/in-a-better-world-science-teachers-would-teach-creationism-along-with/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [We need to say that women have sex, have abortions, are at peace with the decision and move on with their lives. We need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/we-need-to-say-that-women-have-sex-have-abortions-are-at-peace-with/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [“I’m a writer; I can float for hours on a word like “amethyst” or “broom” or the way so many words sound like what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/i-m-a-writer-i-can-float-for-hours-on-a-word-like-amethyst-or-broom/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [A feminist is a person who answers 'yes' to the question 'Are women human?' Feminism is not about whether women are better than, worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/a-feminist-is-a-person-who-answers-yes-to-the-question-are-women/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [If you run into trouble doing what's expected, people sympathize with you, while if you try something else and flop everyone says, You see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/if-you-run-into-trouble-doing-what-s-expected-people-sympathize-with/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [ When you consider that God could have commanded anything he wanted--anything!--the Ten \[Commandments\] have got to rank as one of the great missed moral… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/when-you-consider-that-god-could-have-commanded-anything-he-wanted/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [While woman sheds the Blood of Life each moon at menstruation, man can only shed the blood of death through warfare and killing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/while-woman-sheds-the-blood-of-life-each-moon-at-menstruation-man-can/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [Thanks to feminism, women can now acquire status in two ways: through marriage or their own achievements. Cure cancer or marry the man who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/thanks-to-feminism-women-can-now-acquire-status-in-two-ways-through/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) [Explore all 39 Katha Pollitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) ## More Apologizing quotes > [“There were probably many factors that kept the relationship going and kept your love alive. There were all his promises. "I promise this will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-kennedy-dugan/there-were-probably-many-factors-that-kept-the-relationship-going-and/) [Meg Kennedy Dugan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-kennedy-dugan/) > [“A lady need never apologize. ~ Joseph de Bonaparte (Brother of Napoleon)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pataki/a-lady-need-never-apologize-joseph-de-bonaparte-brother-of-napoleon/) [Allison Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pataki/) > [A jerk will keep hurting you then apologize to keep you from leaving them, and then do it all over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-jerk-will-keep-hurting-you-then-apologize-to-keep-you-from-leaving/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [To apologize for what you most wanted to do, to concede that it was obnoxious, boring, 'vulgar and unsafe' --- that was the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hollinghurst/to-apologize-for-what-you-most-wanted-to-do-to-concede-that-it-was/) [Alan Hollinghurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hollinghurst/) > [I have some friends who are actors. I've watched them work. And I would say that of all the arts, acting is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-have-some-friends-who-are-actors-i-ve-watched-them-work-and-i-would/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [President Bush deliberately did not apologize for things and that’s because advisers around him, including those there, felt that the press corps would jump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gregory/president-bush-deliberately-did-not-apologize-for-things-and-that-s/) [David Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gregory/) > [Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong, it just means that value your relationships more than your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier-bennett/apologizing-does-not-always-mean-you-are-wrong-it-just-means-that/) [Chinier Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinier-bennett/) > [I would like to publicly apologize to anyone I have NOT offended¦I will get to you shortly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-like-to-publicly-apologize-to-anyone-i-have-not-offended-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have a responsibility, and it's something that I did wrong, and if I could personally apologize to every single person that has lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-richie/i-have-a-responsibility-and-it-s-something-that-i-did-wrong-and-if-i/) [Nicole Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-richie/) > [To the millions of Americans whove attempted to use HealthCare.gov to shop and enroll in health-care coverage, I want to apologize to you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-tavenner/to-the-millions-of-americans-whove-attempted-to-use-healthcare-gov-to/) [Marilyn Tavenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-tavenner/) > [My overall point is that 'one and dones' are not healthy for college basketball. I should not have made it personal to Kentucky and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/my-overall-point-is-that-one-and-dones-are-not-healthy-for-college/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Don't apologize for being patriotic. Support the troops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/don-t-apologize-for-being-patriotic-support-the-troops/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [How many chefs when I was a young boy shouted at me during service? All I ever said was "Yes, chef." The customer is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/how-many-chefs-when-i-was-a-young-boy-shouted-at-me-during-service/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [I want to use my connections with coaches, players, celebrities, whomever, and if I can take that friendship and use it to help someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/i-want-to-use-my-connections-with-coaches-players-celebrities/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [I apologize for the cruel things that I did but I don't regret one single word I said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/five-finger-death-punch/i-apologize-for-the-cruel-things-that-i-did-but-i-don-t-regret-one/) [Five Finger Death Punch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/five-finger-death-punch/) [Browse all 854 Apologizing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologizing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why must the woman apologize for not having a baby just because she happened to get pregnant? 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